The penetrating brilliance of swords
Wielded by followers of the Way
Strikes at the evil enemy
Lurking deep within
Their own souls and bodies

Quote:

Bill Danosky wrote:

you don't really have to harm your opponent to defend yourself, unless you choose to, for whatever reason.

Without the ability there is no choice...which is why my signature is what it is.

Quote:

Bill Danosky wrote:

I'm finding that I'm getting more and more soft-hearted in my old age. Unless there are some very serious mitigating circumstances, I prefer not to have to kill anyone, or really even cause anyone any permanent injury.

This is not soft-hearted this is humanity.

Quote:

Bill Danosky wrote:

OTOH, sometimes a weapon is called for, like in cases of multiple opponents, or when defending against "major" weaponry.

M. Ueshiba wrote:

"The essence of the martial arts is the spirit of loving protection of all beings in the universe."

This includes you.

The sword is a weapon and a weapon is a tool. The tool does not direct the person wielding it. How we use the sword is up to us. We can train with it as a means of cutting down an opponent or we can train with it as a means of tempering ourselves and stripping away the layers of falsehoods we surround ourselves with.

But that's just my take

Bronson

"A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy he chooses non-violence."